What this medicine is used for

The name of your medicine is Terry White Chemists Olanzapine. It contains the active ingredient olanzapine.

It is used:

to treat symptoms of schizophrenia and related psychoses.

alone, or in combination with lithium or valproate, for the short-term treatment of acute manic episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder.

as a also a mood stabiliser that prevents further occurrences of the disabling high and low (depressed) extremes of mood associated Bipolar I Disorder.

Schizophrenia is a mental illness with disturbances in thinking, feelings and behaviour. Bipolar I Disorder is a mental illness with symptoms such as feeling "high", having excessive amounts of energy, needing much less sleep than usual, talking very quickly with racing ideas and sometimes severe irritability.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed this medicine for another reason.

This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.

How it works

Olanzapine belongs to a group of medicines called antipsychotics. It helps to correct chemical imbalances in the brain, which may cause mental illness.

Olanzapine may be used together with other medicines such as lithium or valproate.

There is no evidence that this medicine is addictive.

Use in children

Olanzapine is not recommended for use in children under the age of 18 years.

Before you take this medicine

When you must not take it

Do not take this medicine if:

You are hypersensitive to, or have had an allergic reaction to olanzapine or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include cough, shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin; fainting or hayfever-like symptoms.If you think you are having an allergic reaction do not take any more of the medicine and contact your doctor immediately or go to the Accident and Emergency department at the nearest hospital.

The expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack has passed.

The packaging is torn, shows signs of tampering or it does not look quite right.

Before you start to take it

Before you start taking this medicine, tell your doctor if:

You have allergies to:- any other medicines- any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes.

You have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:- tumour of the pituitary gland (a small gland at the base of the brain)- chest infection e.g. pneumonia- bone marrow depression or conditions of the blood with a reduced number of white or red blood cells- disease of the blood with a reduced number of white or red blood cells- disease of the blood vessels of the brain, including stroke- Parkinson's Disease or dementia, or problems swallowing- prostate problems- kidney or liver disease- high blood pressure- high blood sugar, diabetes or a family history of diabetes- high cholesterol levels in your blood- breast cancer or a family history of breast cancer- paralytic ileus, a condition where the small bowel does not work properly- epilepsy (seizures or fits)- narrow-angled glaucoma, a condition in which there is usually a build up of fluid in the eye- heart disease, including irregular heart rhythm- neuroleptic malignant syndrome, a reaction to some medicines with a sudden increase in body temperature, extremely high blood pressure and severe convulsions- tardive dyskinesia, a reaction to some medicines with uncontrollable twitching or jerking movements of the arms and legs.

You are currently pregnant or you plan to become pregnant.Like most antipsychotic medicines, olanzapine is not recommended for use during pregnancy.

You are currently breastfeeding or you plan to breastfeed.It is recommended that you do not breastfeed while taking olanzapine.

You will be in a hot environment or do a lot of vigorous exercise.Olanzapine may make you sweat less, causing your body to overheat.

You have recently been vaccinated or plan to get a vaccination.

You are planning to have surgery or an anaesthetic.

You are currently receiving or are planning to receive dental treatment.

You are taking or are planning to take any other medicines; this includes vitamins and supplements that are available from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines may interact with olanzapine. These include:

medicines used to treat a fast or irregular heart beat (arrhythmia)

medicines taken for anxiety or to help you sleep

fluvoxamine and other medicines taken for depression

carbamazepine, a medicine used for mood stabilisation and to treat epilepsy

other centrally acting medicines (e.g. tranquillisers)

ciprofloxacin, a medicine used to treat bacterial infections

medicines that lower blood pressure, including diuretics which help remove excess water from the body

medicines used for Parkinson's disease

medicines which may have anticholinergic activity

medicines that can change the heart's electrical activity or make it more likely to change.

Smoking may affect olanzapine or may affect how it works.

If you are taking any of these you may need a different dose or you may need to take different medicines.

How to take this medicine

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor carefully. Their instructions may be different to the information in this leaflet.

How much to take

Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine you should take. This will depend on your condition and whether you are taking any other medicines.

The dose your doctor will prescribe for you will usually be in the range of 5 mg to 20 mg per day.

Your doctor may increase or decrease your dose in order to find the appropriate dose for your condition.

A lower starting dose may be prescribed for elderly patients over the age of 65 years.

Do not stop taking your medicine or change your dosage without first checking with your doctor.

How to take it

Do not handle the orally disintegrating tablet with wet hands. It should be handled carefully with dry hands.

Put the orally disintegrating tablet in your mouth. It will dissolve directly in your mouth, so that it can be easily swallowed.

You can also place the orally disintegrating tablet in a full glass or a cup of water, orange juice, apple juice, milk or coffee, and stir.

Drink it straight away.

With some drinks, the mixture may change colour and possibly become cloudy.

The orally disintegrating tablet should not be placed in cola drinks.

When to take it

Take this medicine at the same time, once each day. Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect and will also help you remember when to take it.

It does not matter if you take it before, with or after food.

How long to take it for

Continue taking your medicine for as long as your doctor tells you.

Do not stop taking olanzapine just because you feel better. It is important that you do NOT stop taking olanzapine unless your doctor tells you to.

Make sure you have enough to last over weekends and holidays.

If you forget to take it

If it is almost time to take your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time.

Otherwise take it as soon as you remember and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.

Do not take a double dose to make up for missed doses. This may increase the chance of you experiencing side effects.

If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints to help you remember.

If you take too much (overdose)

If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (Tel: 13 11 26 in Australia) for advice. Alternatively go to the Accident and Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.

Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.

If you have taken too much olanzapine, the most common signs are fast heartbeat, agitation/aggression, difficulty speaking, uncontrollable movements and sedation.

While you are taking this medicine

Things you must do

It is important that you remember to take olanzapine daily and at the same dose prescribed by your doctor.

Talk to your doctor or mental health professional if you have thoughts or talk about death or suicide; or thoughts or talk about self-harm or doing harm to others. These may be signs of changes or worsening in your mental illness.

Tell your doctor if you are female and your monthly periods are absent for six months or more.

Tell your doctor that you are taking this medicine if:

you are about to be started on any new medicine

you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant

you are breastfeeding or are planning to breastfeed

you are about to have any blood tests

you are going to have surgery or an anaesthetic or are going into hospital.

Keep all of your doctor's appointments so that your progress can be checked.

Your doctor may do tests to make sure the medicine is working and to prevent side effects. Go to your doctor regularly for a check-up.

Your doctor should monitor you particularly closely in the first weeks that you start taking this medicine.

Your doctor should also monitor your weight while you are taking olanzapine.

Patients with diabetes or who have a higher chance of developing diabetes should have their blood sugar checked often.

If you are over 65, your doctor may measure your blood pressure from time to time.

Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking olanzapine.

Things you must not do

Do not:

Stop taking your medicine, or change the dosage, without first checking with your doctor

Give this medicine to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours

Take your medicine to treat any other condition unless your doctor tells you to.

Things to be careful of

Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how olanzapine affects you. Olanzapine may cause drowsiness in some people.

Be careful when drinking alcohol while taking olanzapine. The effects of alcohol could be made worse while taking olanzapine.

Wear sunscreen and protective clothing if outside, as olanzapine may make your skin more sensitive to the sun.

Make sure you keep cool in hot weather and keep warm in cool weather. Olanzapine may affect the way your body reacts to temperature changes.

Also, some side effects, such as changes to liver function, cholesterol or triglycerides can occur. These can only be found when you doctor does tests from time to time to check your progress.

Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis may notice the following side effects:

unusual manner of walking

falls

pneumonia

inability to retain urine (urinary incontinence).

Some patients with Parkinson's disease may hallucinate (see, feel or hear things that are not there) or develop worsening symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Patients with bipolar mania taking olanzapine in combination with lithium or valproate may notice the following additional side effects:

tremors

speech disorder.

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients.

Allergic reactions

If you think you are having an allergic reaction to olanzapine, do not take any more of this medicine and tell your doctor immediately or go to the Accident and Emergency department at your nearest hospital.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include some or all of the following:

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